An introduction to U.S rail travel. Which is time when travel through rail becomes costly. Some words about amtrak Rail. http://www.sanantoniohotelmotel.com

1. Rail travel in the United States
The U.S. may be the land of
the car, but it also one of the
greatest countries in the
world to be explored by
passenger train.

2. An Amtrak train in U.S , used for comfort travelling

3. There are a number of private
operators who offer exclusive and
luxurious packages on private
passenger trains, but it is onboard
the trains of the state owned and
subsidized Amtrak that most
tourists and tavelrers experience
America by rail.

4. Before setting out on a railroad
adventure around America, it is
worth understanding the precarious
situation in which Amtrak exists
today. Somewhere between being a
private and a public company (all of
Amtrak's preferential shares are
owned by the U.S. Government)
Amtrak has to provide both a public
service and seek to remain profitable
as a competitive mode of transport

5. When to travel
The peak periods for most rail
companies in North America is
somewhere between April to
September, and the cost of rail
passes and tickets will rise
during these periods to reflect
this.

6. If you're planning a visit to the U.
S. and travel a lot by train, the
spring and fall (autumn) periods
are likely to give you the best
combination of lower ticket prices
and hours of daylight for viewing
the scenery from the train

7. Trains fill up much quicker in
the summer and around
national holidays, and coach
class passengers in
particular will have less room
to stretch out.

8. Timetables and brochures
All the major rail operators in the
U.S. have websites with
information about timetables,
routes and on-board facilities.
However many passengers still
prefer to plan their trips using
printed timetables.

9. Rail Passes
If you are planning more than one
journey on an Amtrak train, you may
be better off investing a rail pass,
which allows unlimited rail travel
within a certain period and area. You
should, however, compare the cost of
individual tickets when pricing and
planning your trip.

10. The USA Rail Pass. The travel
pass divides the U.S. into zones,
and the pass may be bought for
one or more zones. Restrictions
apply. Americans can now
purchase this pass, though Amtrak
did not publicize this change

11. The California Rail Pass . This
pass offers seven days of travel
within any 21-day period on most
California trains.

12. Amtrak tickets
Amtrak tickets can be purchased in person
from any staffed Amtrak station, over the
phone ( 1-800-USA-RAIL in the U.S. and
Canada) or on the internet . A number of
travel agencies that sell Amtrak tickets in
other countries are listed on the Amtrak
website.

13. Discounts on Amtrak Tickets
Many passengers are able to receive a
discount on the cost of the ticket. Discounts
are available on travel tickets (but not
accommodation upgrades) to members of
the following organizations:
● AAA (American Automobile Association)
● CAA (Canadian Automobile Association)
● NARP (National Association of Railroad
Passengers)

14. Delays
Unfortunately delays are common on
long-distance Amtrak travel routes. This
is because private railroads own the
tracks used by Amtrak, and they are
more concerned about their own freight
trains than about Amtrak's passenger
trains